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Beat the Devil This movie has not become a cult classic for nothing. Among its other merits, it is one of the few films where a film noir is mixed with a comedy. It’s a whose who of actors of it’s vintage and is directed by John Huston. It stars Humphrey Bogart, Jennifer Jones, Gina Lollobrigida, Robert Morley and Peter Lorre.


This movie is part of the collection: Film Noir

Producer: John Huston
Audio/Visual: sound, color
Keywords: Humphrey Bogart; Jennifer Jones; Gina Lollobrigida

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: porterville - - March 19, 2012
Subject: Humphrey Bogart & Jennifer Jones Excellent in "Beat the Devil"
I think the audience in 1953 was thinking that the movie, "Beat the Devil," would be a serious film, and not a parody or take-off on the typical Humphrey Bogart and John Huston films. A good film it is, with a sound plot and acting by the principle cast. It is noted for Jennifer Jones in a non-serious role, probably not seen since her role as "Cluny Brown," with Charles Boyer.

Reviewer: accalaurie49 - - March 20, 2011
Subject: No Problem, Great Movie
It seems as if some of the downloaders had problems with the file. I had no problem downloading it, I could burn it and my DVD player accepts the film so that I can watch it on tv. And it is complete.

Great Movie by a great director, marvellous cast, brilliant acting. I love it. OK, this blonde Jennifer Jones is nothing but a nerd, nobody would fall for her.

Reviewer: rabid47 - - November 27, 2010
Subject: Watch out for MPEG4 version
Downloaded a MPEG4 version from somewhere else on this site.

Incomplete file. No ending.

Reviewer: swampskunk1313 - - November 23, 2010
Subject: ?
Maybe it's just me, but I can't do a thing with this movie. Can't watch it, can't burn it to a disk. Love the fact that it is here, just wish I knew what to do with it. Still give it 5 stars. Update, found out what I did wrong. For some reason, my computer made it look like it had downloaded when it hadn't. It was only about hlf done. So I guess I will have no more trouble when it is done. Oh well, If at first you don't succeed, you're about average.

Reviewer: ohrabbits - - August 13, 2010
Subject: Watched it many times
Fantastic movie, wonderful look, very funny. Perfection in a jar.

Reviewer: webgiant - - June 5, 2010
Subject: Brilliant Film Noir
There is no such thing as "hallmarks of a film noir" precisely because film noir is a style, not a genre. Unlike many movies of the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s which were not intended as film noir but reclassified by later historians as "film noir", "Beat The Devil" started out as a film noir precisely because authors Truman Capote and John Huston (Huston also directed) set out to parody film noir.

Quite possibly the first "camp" movie ever made, audiences will enjoy the fact that the actors, despite being handed a parody script, were told to "play it straight". Humphrey Bogart, Jennifer Jones, Robert Morley (playing the "Sydney Greenstreet" role), and Peter Lorre wander around inside a comedy-thriller but brilliantly play it as a film noir (Gina Lollobridgia delivers a decent performance but may simply have not been let in on the joke).

Instead of modern comedies where the audience is pounded on the head with the satire, "Beat The Devil" takes a much more subtle approach. Director John Huston never worries that you might not get the joke, so he never feels the need to force the humor on you.

Fabulous movie, great twists, and a subtle approach to humor not often seen in modern moviemaking. If you are looking for a thriller which expands on itself with subtle humor (or just a really great movie), "Beat The Devil" delivers up the film noir style in a brilliant parody of film noir.

They just don't make movies like this anymore, and that is a sad, sad thing.

Reviewer: robcat2075 - - October 7, 2009
Subject: One of my favorites
This is not a noir film. It has none of the hallmarks of noir unless the presence og Bogart is enough.

But it is a fabulous film. Great characters. Great situations. Great twists.

Reviewer: arcturus - - August 1, 2008
Subject: Could have been a great movie.
The thing that is wwrong with this movie is Jennifer Jones,her Norman Rockwell Doris Day looks just don"t fit here,her snooty english rich bitch act had no redeeming qualities whatsoever,its to hard to believe that Bogart would feel anything but pity for her(who would leave gina lollabrigida for J.J?:..only someone like rock hudson,and bogart was no rock hudson.